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TTC bus hits and kills 14-year-old girl

Police confirmed a TTC bus was involved in a hit-and-run Friday in Scarborough. A facebook memorial page for Amaria Diljohn announced a vigil planned for Sunday.

Amaria Diljohn, 14, was killed Friday after being struck by a TTC bus at the corner of Finch Ave. and Neilson Rd. A vigil in her honour will be held Sunday at 5 p.m. at the same intersection. (Facebook)

The scene Saturday at Finch Avenue and Nielson Road, where, at approximately 5:40 Friday night, a TTC bus seems to have hit and killed a 14-year-old rider who had just stepped out of the vehicle. The bus on route 133 was driving north turning east onto Finch. The driver has turned himself into police. (Steve Russell / Toronto Star) | Order this photo

By Katherine DeClerqStaff Reporter

Sat., Dec. 20, 2014

Police say a TTC bus was involved in a hit-and-run that resulted in the death of a 14-year-old girl in Scarborough. The driver has turned himself into police.

A Facebook page has been set up in honour of Amaria “MoMo” Diljohn. The page states that a candlelight vigil will be held Sunday at 5 p.m. at the intersection where the girl was struck.

Police were called to Finch Ave. and Neilson Rd. around 5:30 p.m. Friday where they found the girl without vital signs. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

The TTC bus was driving northbound on Neilson Rd. and was attempting to make a right turn on Finch Ave. East when it hit the girl. She was trying to cross the street.

The bus failed to remain at the scene of the collision. The 27-year-old driver of the bus has not been charged.

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A statement issued by the TTC Saturday afternoon said that they are co-operating fully with police in their investigation.

“The bus has been identified and video from the bus (has been) downloaded to aid in the investigation. The operator of the bus has also been identified and is being interviewed by police,” read the statement.

“We are shocked and devastated by this grievous tragedy and our hearts go out as one to this young girl’s family and friends. No words can express the depth of our sadness for those who knew and loved her and no circumstances surrounding what happened can lessen their overwhelming sorrow,” read the statement.

“Our 10,000 members are of many faiths and each of us extends our personal prayer that her loved ones will be given the immeasurable strength and courage that will be needed to carry on in the face of this profound loss.”

The transit union said it would also co-operate fully with the police investigation.

Police are looking for witnesses who were passengers on the TTC’s 133 Neilson bus Friday between 5:15 and 6 p.m.

This incident is just one in a string of collisions concerning the TTC over the last few years. According to a Star report in July, TTC vehicles have been involved in 18,000 collisions since 2009. Of these collisions, nearly 5,000 were deemed preventable by transit commission investigators.

The database obtained by the Star shows an average of 3,564 collisions a year.

The database only includes numbers until 2013.

In the last few months alone, the Star has reported on a number of collisions involving serious to fatal injuries. The most recent incidents involved a woman who was struck by a TTC bus on Yonge St. and Eglinton Ave. Tuesday afternoon and another who became pinned beneath a TTC bus near York University earlier this month. The woman pinned beneath the bus suffered “multi-system-trauma,” according to city paramedics.

In September, two people died of injuries caused by St. Clair Ave. streetcars. The first was a woman who got stuck under the streetcar near Keele St. and the second was a 79-year-old man who was hit near Yonge St.

Brad Ross, head of communications for the TTC, said they investigate each one of “these tragedies” thoroughly and work with police to understand what happened.

“Safety is, and always will be, the number one priority for the TTC,” Ross said over the phone. “The entire TTC family is shaken by this. We take pride in being able to deliver a safe transit system to the people of Toronto and we will continue to do that.”

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